Vermont’s abolitionist history is strong, and every town has
its stories of secret rooms where, it’s believed, Vermonters hid fugitive
slaves, helping them on their way to freedom. But historical documents from the
mid-1800s suggest a different reality – where the Underground Railroad was not
an organized movement, and escaped slaves didn’t actually have to be hidden
away.
We explore the lore and the reality of the Underground Railroad in
Vermont with Ray Zirblis, an architectural historian who researched and wrote
The Vermont Underground Railroad Survey Report, and Beth Kanell, the author of
the new young adult novel, "The Secret Room."
Also on the program, the cost
of home heating oil is currently about a dollar higher per gallon than it was
this time last year. Matt Cota, the executive director of the Vermont Fuel Dealer’s
Association, joins us to discuss trends in fuel prices and what consumers can
do. And we talk to Hal Cohen, the executive director of the Central Vermont
Community Action Council, about concerns about cuts in LIHEAP funding, and how
high oil prices are impacting low income Vermonters.